Clownfish

The movie Finding Nemo has had people going crazy over Clown Fish and more Clown Fish facts have thus come into the open. The articles below will help you learn more about clown fish. The Clown Fish is found in the sea and comprises of about 30 different species. These fish are very colorful with coloring that ranges from yellow and maroon to shades of orange. The most common coloration found is a bright orange intermingled with white stripes.

Clown Fish are commonly found in the warm waters. The Pacific Ocean, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean are some places where Clown Fish abound. The peculiar name of the fish comes from its cheerful coloring and its active disposition. Many people mistakenly believe that the Clown Fish is really fooling around with all his antics. But, in reality the Clown Fish is an aggressive fish and they are very territorial. They go to great lengths to protect their territory.

The most common home for the Clown Fish is among the tentacles of the Sea Anemone. It’s a curious quirk of nature that the tiny Clown fish is able to live without getting stung by the tentacles of the Anemone. The fish actually uses the Anemone to save it from predators. The fish continuously loops through the waving tentacles of the Anemone and is moving around all the time. It is believed that the Clown Fish develops a kind of slimy covering around its body that helps it to withstand the Anemone\'s stings. The Clown Fish is dependent on the Sea Anemone for its daily bread. After the Anemone paralyzes and eats a fish, the Clown fish will polish off the remaining uneaten bits and pieces. In return, the Clown Fish helps to keep the Anemone free of dead tentacles by eating these. The Clown Fish also helps the Anemone get food by using its bright coloration to lure unsuspecting fish into the vicinity of the Anemone. This symbiotic relationship with the Anemone makes the Clown Fish one of the most curious creatures living in water.

A little known but fascinating ability of the Clown fish is its ability to switch sex. This Clown Fish Fact makes this fish even more of a rarity. On the top of the hierarchy is the reproducing female followed by the mating male. Below them are a bunch of non-mating males. But, if the female dies, the whole hierarchy gets disrupted. The predominant male then morphs into a female and chooses a partner from the various non-mating males.

Clown Fish form a very strong bond with their mates. They lay their eggs in large batches. These eggs are laid on a coral or a rock adjacent to the Anemone. Both the parents then guard these eggs for a span of 3-5 days. Once the eggs are hatched the male may stay to take care of the young till they reach sexual maturity.

Clown Fish are usually not eaten by other fish because they are kept safe by the stinging tentacles of the Anemone. Since they live within the quiet corners of the Coral reef they were never hunted. But recently, these fish have become very popular inhabitants of salt-water aquariums. The colors, the antics and the beauty of this fish have fascinated men. They are especially sought after in Europe and the United States. Many Coral reefs have been destroyed in order to procure prime specimens.

Rearing Clown Fish in aquariums have met with spectacular success. It is not necessary to keep the Clown Fish with its host Anemone. It is difficult to care for the Anemone. The various species of the Clown Fish should not be mixed. They are generally very peaceful, but may become territorial and fight. When they are born, all Clown Fish are males. As they grow, the predominant male will morph into the female, and this fish will be the primary defender of the territory.